New members of the Geneseo Foundation Board and SGAA choose what they would bring to college if they moved in today.
By Kris Dreessen
Illustration by Erin Crowell
Stationery and stamps to write home and her trusty typewriter were must-haves for Donna Breskin ’80 when she moved into Steuben Hall in 1976. Cell phones and laptops were decades away. She hung out in the College Union, and she and her roommate cooked ramen together in a hot pot.
While not everything has changed (ramen!), student staples in 2024 are much different. What if you had to move into the residence halls now, with your current profession and life? What would you bring?
Our newest members of the Geneseo Foundation Board and the SUNY Geneseo Alumni Association, whose members support the college community through financial support, leadership, and advocacy—take a look back and choose what they don’t want to live without.
Geneseo Foundation Board Members
Schiller C. Joseph ’04
Major: Political science
Other degrees: Master’s in social work from Columbia University
Career: Senior management and program analyst at the US Treasury, based in Washington, DC
Favorite Geneseo hangouts: The Quad and the Union
Residence halls: Wayne, Erie
“I would bring a television, snow boots, and my favorite comforter, because Geneseo is cold.”
Donna Breskin ’80
Major: Special education
Other degrees: Master’s in human resources management from Marymount University
Career: Managing partner for Association Innovation and Management, Inc., based in Vienna, VA
Favorite Geneseo hangouts: The Vital Spot, the College Union, and the Rat (Rathskeller) on Friday afternoons, where students were able to buy subs and beer with their meal tickets
Residence halls: Steuben (It was all women! I spent three years as a resident advisor)
“Today, I would take a digital picture frame and actual printed pictures so I would have friends and family around me at all times. I would pack my cell phone, laptop, and iPad with every kind of charger—in multiples! I’d make sure my Amazon account was set up with Audible and that on my iPad I also had access to watch everything related to the Buffalo Bills.
“My phone would be loaded up with my favorite podcasts, Wiser than Me and True Sunlight. I would immediately get a job again at Mary Jemison Dining Hall to pay for all my apps and favorite shows, which may cut into my binge-watching time, but I would manage.
“High on my list would also be a bathing suit, since swimming is my number one means of exercise. But, this time, I would ditch the then-required swim cap! I would still pack stationery and Forever stamps, since I believe in the old-fashioned practice of sending hand-written notes. I could go on, but my computer is out of juice, and I can’t find the charger…”
Molly Smith Metzler ’00
Major: English
Other degrees: Master’s in creative writing from Boston University; Master of Fine Arts from New York University’s Tisch School for the Arts; Artist’s Diploma from The Juilliard School
Career: Playwright and screenwriter; creator of the Netflix show Maid and forthcoming Sirens; writer for Shameless and Orange Is the New Black
Favorite Geneseo hangout: The Writing and Learning Center in Welles Hall
Residence halls: Erie, Alleghany
“My answer is actually the same today as it was in 1996: I would bring my favorite pens (called “Le Pen”). They are small, brightly colored, and fine-pointed. For as long as I can remember, I’ve written my first drafts in Le Pen.”
Jeri Muoio ’69
Major: Psychology
Other degrees: Master’s and certificate in advanced study in school psychology from SUNY Oswego; doctorate in education leadership from Syracuse University
Career: President and CEO of Great Cities for All, based in West Palm Beach, FL; former mayor of West Palm Beach; former assistant superintendent of schools in two NYS districts
Favorite Geneseo hangout: The Idle Hour
Residence halls: Genesee, Wyoming
“All I remember about that first trip to college is that the car was packed with shoe boxes piled high. Now, I would bring my husband, my dog, and pictures of my grandchildren. I would also bring my art supplies, workout gear, and computer.”
Louis Sapirman ’91
Major: Philosophy; Honors Program
Other degrees: Juris doctorate from the Rutgers School of Law
Career: Attorney; ethics and compliance executive
Favorite Geneseo hangout: Fireside Lounge in the College Union
Residence halls: Erie, Monroe, and one year in a Court Street apartment
“I tend to care more about people than things. So I’d really want to bring my wife, Nadine Kadell Sapirman ’90, most of all. I’d also make sure to have a deck of cards. I find a deck of cards is a great way to build relationships and engage directly with people, given the world we now live in sees many of us with our noses stuck looking at our phones and computers all the time. Interestingly, the things I remember bringing with me to school in 1987 were a brand-new Epson 8088 computer and a small sound system, which I had saved up money from my job as a waiter to buy. I hadn’t opened the box on the computer and had to figure out how to use the thing during my first few weeks at school.”
SGAA Board Members
Larkin Kimmerer Podsiedlik ’09
Major: Anthropology
Minors: Spanish, linguistics
Other degrees: Master’s in agriculture, food, and the environment from Tufts University; master’s in public health from Tufts University School of Medicine
Career: Executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County, NY
Favorite Geneseo hangouts: Sturges basement and the Merritt Athletic Training Room
Residence halls: Livingston (where I met my husband, David Podsiedlik ’08), Allegany
“When I came to Geneseo, running cross-country and track was a high priority, so I definitely brought my favorite racing spikes. Moving in now, I’d still bring my running shoes for a much slower-paced run around town. I would also bring pictures of my family, my Taylor Swift Eras Tour poster, and I might try to smuggle my giant fluffy dog, Bear, into the dorm once or twice.”
Scott Ewanow ’06
Major: Adolescence education with an initial certification in social studies
Other degrees: Broome County Law Enforcement Academy; FBI National Academy Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice Education
Career: Chief of Police for SUNY Geneseo University Police Department
Favorite Geneseo hangout: Ira Wilson Arena for hockey games
Residence halls: Jones, Genesee, Saratoga Townhouses
“If I had to go live in a residence hall now, with my current job, I would want to bring my dog, Sasha.”